Traditionally, reclining chairs have required a large number of separate interacting parts to provide reclining motion. The chairs often have a plurality of actuators to be gripped by a user to enable the chair to be adjusted. For example, the chairs may require separate actuators for adjusting the height of the seat, the depth position of the seat, and recline of the back. Having a plurality of actuators can make the chairs difficult to adjust, and often require an occupant to visually inspect the actuators before they are able to make a desired adjustment. Otherwise, the occupant may adjust an incorrect actuator.
With increasing environmental awareness, there is a desire to make office furniture more environmentally friendly. There has been a move toward using recyclable materials in chairs. However, only discrete portions of chairs incorporate recyclable materials, and those materials are generally only used for some components whereas other components use non-recyclable materials or materials of different types. The result is that substantial disassembly or separation is required prior to recycling, which results in high labour costs and a reduced likelihood of the components being recycled.
There is an increasing use of polymeric materials in chair components. However, those chair components often need to be large items with complex strengthening webs to provide sufficient strength in the components. That results in high material usage.
Some supports of chairs have a frame and a cover attached to the frame. To attach the cover to the frame, separate components or fasteners are generally required, such as screws or attachment strips for example. There is generally a significant labour cost involved in that attachment, as well as extra material or component costs.
It is an object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a chair that addresses at least one of the disadvantages outlined above, or that at least provides the public with a useful choice. It is an alternative object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a support that has a secure connection between the frame and cover, or that at least provides the public with a useful choice. It is an alternative object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a chair component that addresses at least one of the disadvantages outlined above, or that at least provides the public with a useful choice.